 (1).png){kind=spacer}
1 month ago
19
If you find brushing your teeth an annoying chore but still want sparkling clean pearly whites, Japanese inventors might have the perfect solution.
The 'g.eN' is the world's first fully automatic robotic toothbrush that can scrub your teeth without any assistance.
While it might sound like something out of Wallace & Gromit, this very real quirky science project is now available for sale.
And its creators say that the robotic device is even better for you than a manual toothbrush.
Developed using technology from the Waseda University Robotics Laboratory, the g.eN consists of 16 tiny brushes driven by a small but powerful motor.
Simply bite down on the mouthpiece and the machine automatically drives the brushes up, down, left, and right to brush your teeth completely in about a minute.
Its creators say that the device is the first oral care robot that can 'make tooth brushing less stressful and more reliable.'
However, that convenience doesn't come cheap, as the brushing machine currently costs £173 (¥36,520).
Japanese inventors have released an automatic toothbrushing machine that can scrub your teeth in less than a minute
The machine uses eight pairs of brushes to clean your teeth from all sides simultaneously for the most even results
Genics, the company behind the strange device, says that its goal is to combine over a decade of robotics research with dentistry.
Their robotic toothbrush claims to clean your teeth faster and more thoroughly than a conventional brush by cleaning both sides at once.
Pairs of brushes simultaneously scrub the inner and outer faces of the tooth in a process that, according to Genics, reduces uneven brushing.
A study published in 2022 by the Japan Society of Healthcare Dentistry found that the g.eN achieved an average plaque retention of 22.4 per cent.
This meets industry-approved standards for 'good oral hygiene', and shows that the robot performs as well, if not better than, a standard brush.
Genics says that this is the first time a device has been shown to 'brush automatically and quickly without moving your hands'.
The latest version of g.eN is significantly lighter than previous versions, weighing just 220 grams, and features USB-C charging.
The device also includes four distinct brushing modes: Easy, Careful, Special Care, and Children.
The 'g.eN' is the world's first fully automatic robotic toothbrush that can scrub your teeth without any assistance.
On social media, some tech fans welcomed the innovation, with one writing: 'I'm tired of brushing my teeth so I'll buy some right away.'
'It might be good for busy mornings,' another commenter mused.
While another added: 'I don't think I can use it every day, but I'd like to use it occasionally when I'm feeling lazy.'
But not every social media user was convinced that the g.eN would be practical, and many were worried about the difficulty of replacing the brush heads.
One sceptical commenter wrote: 'It seems like cleaning this brush is harder than cleaning your teeth.'
While another complained that they would 'definitely vomit' if they tried to use the bulky brushing machine.
Although Genics is now making the g.eN available to the public, the main audience for the toothbrushing machine isn't just people who are short on time.
The company believes that its devices will be particularly useful for people with disabilities and nurses working in social care.
The company behind the brush says that its invention achieves results that are as good or better than a standard brush in a fraction of the time
The company believes that its devices will be particularly useful for people with disabilities and nurses working in social care, as well as people who are just short on time in the mornings
Genics claims that more than 200 'limited edition nursing care' brushing machines are already in daily use in care settings across Japan.
The company adds: 'The belief that "our robotics technology can be of greater use to society" is what is driving our technological development forward.'
However, this is not the first strange automatic hygiene device to emerge from Japan in recent months.
In December last year, a 'human washing machine' that can clean a person from head to toe went on sale to the public.
The £290,000 (¥60 million) device uses powerful jets of bubbles to blast the skin clean of dirt and grime.
According to Science Co., the company behind this bizarre contraption, the automatic spa can leave you clean and dry after just 15 minutes.
ARE TRENDY WAYS OF CLEANING YOUR TEETH EFFECTIVE, OR DANGEROUS?
Top dentists reveal how trendy fads can wreak havoc with people's teeth.
Despite the likes of Gisele Bündchen and the Hemsley sisters swearing by starting every morning with a refreshing glass of hot water and lemon, Dr Ben Atkins, a dentist based in Manchester and Trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, warns the drink effectively dissolves teeth and could even make them darker.
While critics link fluoride to everything from dementia to diabetes, experts argue numerous studies show the mineral does not harm people's health, with free-from varieties missing out on 'the main protective ingredient'.
Dr Atkins also describes the ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling, which involves swishing coconut oil around the mouth, as a 'waste of time', with Dr Rhona Eskander, Best Young Dentist Winner 2016, adding it will not give you a Hollywood smile.
In terms of brushing your teeth with charcoal or apple cider vinegar, both Dr Atkins and Dr Eskander add the 'natural remedies' could do more harm than good as while their acidic, abrasive consistencies may remove surface stains, they could also permanently damage enamel.
